Paris, TX is back in the news. Villagers remember Shaquanda Cotton was unjustly sentenced in Paris, TX in a manner that was racially-charged. Now we learn that the Paris law enforcement officials are covering up a dragging death of a Black man ... similar to the infamous James Byrd Jr. dragging death in another part of Texas over 10 years ago.
Brandon McLelland was found on the side of a road outside Paris on September 16th. Family members were told he was hit by a vehicle and dragged 60-feet. Officials said the vehicle fled the scene.
But the 24-year-old's body was dismembered and that leads relatives to believe whatever happened was intentional. "The back of his head was split about this wide," Jacqueline explained motioning with her hand. "And right here over his heart was a spot about as big as my hand."
We learn today that two white men have been charged with his murder. Charles Crostley and Shannon Finley were with Brandon the night he died. The vicious nature of the death alone has a number of people convinced it was a hate crime.
Jacqueline McLelland worries that authorities will avoid investigating her son's death as hate crime, because of bad publicity and the town's racial history. "I feel like if a lot of people hadn't have been listening and paying attention to what was going on maybe they would have just swept this under the rug."
Jacqueline says nobody's child should have to suffer and go through what her son did before he died. I agree with her. I wonder when the people of Jasper TX will take these racially charged incidents seriously?
5 comments:
Thanks for posting may sound inappropriate--but I trust you know what I mean.
the lab
Blackgirl - I feel ya'! It saddens me that these types of hate crime cases are still occurring around the country in 2008. You would think we would be beyond this type of racially-based mayhem...
And thus...the reason for the Civil War....southern inbreds still have not managed to evolve from the cesspool that was the Confederacy. Los Angeles and New York....two of the most racially diverse cities in the world with populations millions of times larger then the entire state of Texas....and yet another small Texas town manages to outdo the violence in these two cities with yet another heinous, racially motivated, senseless crime. So much for the decency of..."The real pro-America" parts of the country as Palin likes to describe. What a crock of sh_t!!! To hell with Texas!! To hell with Bush!! To hell with the Republicans!!! To hell with the RED STATES!!! You people are truly barbaric!
The accusation that this young man was murdered like James Byrd, Jr. disturbs me greatly. Mystique, please don't put all of us in Texas in the incest cesspool, Bush-loving, gun-toting Red states category. I'm a native Texan and yes, I'm surrounded by Republicans, which makes me sick; however, I didn't vote for George W. Bush nor will I press the button for Palin/McCain. There are some decent, sane, sensitive, proactive, anti-racists in Texas as well. We will keep a keen eye on this story and investigation. Thanks.
Mystique - I feel your frustration. We have a chance to flip the script on Nov 4th. Maybe that will be the beginning of a series of dominoes flipping that will make our country a better place to live...
Lisa - Your caution is well-taken. I'm hopeful that our nation can use the upcoming national election to truly turn our nation around. Do u think it's possible?
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